Responding to God's call

Sitting at the back of a Christian Union meeting on my University campus in my 1st year, I was very nervous not knowing anyone and wondering why I had felt I should go.  That meeting changed everything for me though. I felt God speaking to my heart for the first time and showing me who He really is, answering my questions, and changing my outlook on Him and who I thought He was. I had never truly understood who God was until this point, but had thought He was a far off God that I just had to kneel and say my prayers to each night to tick a box like a good girl.  There had been a build up to this moment though, and suddenly I just knew He had to exist and that He wanted a meaningful relationship with me - and that no other reason except God existing and Jesus dying for us and rising again made any sense. I felt like Paul (Acts 9:18) where my eyes were suddenly opened and I knew I needed to make some changes in my life.   I went on my first mission trip to Uganda that summer, and I fell in love with the country.  The people, the hospitality, the levels of faith there were truly humbling. (I’ll tell you more about this time and other mission trips later).  I didn’t have a big sign telling me that I was meant to go, but I’d always felt I needed to visit Africa and work with the children there, so I decided to look up a short term mission company and simply apply. I think sometimes it’s just the things we’re passionate about that God wants to use! A year later, I was sitting at the back of Soul Survivor, when we were asked who would take on God’s commission - who would stand and say ‘here I am God, send me’? (Isaiah 6:8). Several of us stood up and I said yes with all my heart, not really knowing what that would mean or where it would take me. All I knew was that I didn’t want a boring relationship with a far off God I had previously imagined, but one with the relational, living, exciting God, who cared for the poor and wanted justice in the world – a relationship where He would graciously let me partner with Him, and make life so much more fun too!

Responding to God’s call can seem easy on the face of it – anyone can say yes, but even if we really mean it, do we always know what that looks like in reality? And how do we know what is just our own thoughts and what is God speaking to us? If you're like me, it's not often you get a burning bush showing the way like Moses did (Exodus 3), or an audible voice like Abraham had (Genesis 12). I mean, God spoke so clearly to him that he left his home, resulting in him becoming a father of a great nation when he was too old by human standards - but God made it pretty obvious to Him what to do, so even when it was hard, he knew he was doing what God wanted. He trusted God, had faith, and turned that in to action.  Samuel was called to be a prophet and a judge, and while it was a quiet voice, He still physically heard God’s voice (1 Samuel 3). This is just to name a few instances, but how do we know in today’s age what God is saying? Sometimes it takes a lot of prayer, a lot of listening, and others praying for us and seeing if what we're thinking lines up with what the Bible says, and we can still be unsure and just have to move forward with what we think might be right. Other times we might ask for a sign or for doors to be opened if the opportunity is the correct one and it becomes obvious. The truth is, the more time we spend with God and the closer we are to Him, the more we're going to get it right! There have been many times I've been unsure on the right way forward - and others when I've known but disobeyed - which will give you a giggle in future blogs!

Once we think we know what God is saying, the next question is do we have the faith to do it? We know the disciples had a tough time - many even died for their faith. But we also know how it turned out for Jonah when he said no (Jonah 1)! It not only takes us knowing what God wants, but then having faith and saying yes no matter how hard it is; being willing to be taken outside of our comfort zones, stepping out and praying for God to help us as we go. We probably won't know beyond the first step - I've often found God only tells me what I need to know as I need to know it (which is quite hard for me as I love being organised and in control!). I do trust and believe God has a unique plan and purpose for each of us though, and that He will never leave us (Jeremiah 29:11, Hebrews 13:5), so we can trust Him in whatever He asks of us. Peter got to walk on water, but first he had to have faith to simply step out of the boat. 

Many years ago, after I had been 'on mission' (I put this in inverted commas as we are all on mission wherever we are, but for the sake of this blog I am using the term to refer to sharing who God is around the world) for a few years, and I wasn’t sure what I was meant to do next but I decided I’d like to get a ‘normal’ job as it would be easier (plus my family would have preferred that and I’d get paid!). I wasn't sure God wanted me to do this and didn't feel peaceful about it, but I was really tired and just wanted a regular job so I started thinking about what this could be. Some Christians had come to our YWAM base whose gift it was to pray for people’s unique design of who God had made them and the gifts He had given them. I went in to meet them for the first time, and they said they felt God give them 2 verses to tell me before they started. One of these was ‘my gifts and call are irrevocable’ (Romans 11:29). God had other plans for me, and I had a decision to make of if I wanted to be obedient and trust God even though it was hard, or do things my own way. I think this is what it comes down to in the heart of everyone in the world, in every choice we make – will we follow where we feel God is leading us, or do we think we know better?

I believe God calls each of us to take hold of whatever gifts He’s given us, and to ‘go out and make disciples of all nations’ (Matt 28:19), even when it’s tough. This could be in the middle of an Indian slum, as a cleaner, a doctor or a shop keeper to name just a few. Where we are though isn’t of real importance - the question is whether we are where God wants us to be, and are we using our God given gifts to serve Him and those around us? Our whole lives should be one of mission, of loving people like Jesus does – our family, our colleagues, our neighbours, even those that are hard to love, wherever that happens to be for us. The great thing is God promises to help us, and He forgives us when we get it wrong too, so we get to try again! We can see that throughout the Bible - Peter denied Jesus 3 times (Luke 22:55-62), and was still used to change the course of history. Jonah went to Ninevah in the end - even after running so hard in the opposite direction! Even in my own life, God has given me many chances to do what is right.

Life has been full of adventures since I stood up and said ‘here I am, send me’, and this is certainly not going to be a blog about how great I am, in fact you’ll hear stories of my many many failures, but God has had the grace to use me along the way and it’s been an adventure and one I’m still on. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m learning as I go and I hope I can encourage and challenge you too as you follow this blog, and give you a few laughs along the way! The big question is, do you want to join me in this mission and take a leap of faith? Will you say ‘here I am, send me’, making your whole life an adventure with God? Not just following Him in the big moments and decisions in life, but in the everyday mundane parts too.  There is one thing I can promise you if you do – it definitely won’t be boring!